Tamarack Hollow Nature & Cultural Center to be constructed

Naturalist and cultural educator Aimee Gelinas, who provides nature programs throughout the hilltowns, has taken the first step toward opening the Tamarack Hollow Nature & Cultural Center.

Gelinas, who has been offering her programs through her business, Tamarack Hollow, has purchased several acres of property abutting The Trustees of Reservations’ Notchview Reservation and Windsor State Forest properties, with plans to build a structure for educational programs for both adults and children.

Gelinas, who lives on 26 acres in Windsor, decided with her partner to purchase a piece of property across the street totaling just under six acres. Her plan is to create a non-profit organization, preserve the property and build a small structure for programming there.

“For two years, we’ve been clearing trails and cleaning up the property,” Gelinas said. “I want to have the ability to bring kids and adults here for educational purposes.”

Gelinas is filing the paperwork to become a 501C(3) and has hired a lawyer and an architect to draw up plans.

“The architect is creating a sketch of what the nature center will look like,” she said. “It will be small, 448 square feet, with the idea that it’s going to be a room that I can gather people in for educational purposes.”

The center will have a composting toilet with a low environmental impact, and Gelinas hopes to use reclaimed wood on the outside of the structure in an effort to use recycled materials.

Gelinas said she does not need much indoor space, with so much outdoor space available. The property will be adjacent to Notchview, which is about 3,200 acres, and the Windsor State Forest, which is about 800 acres. The area is considered boreal forest, where an entirely different variety of trees, shrubs and plants, which prefer colder, damper climates, grow. These higher elevation forests are home to many varieties of species not commonly seen in other parts of the state.

“We have a very unique place up here, with three watersheds,” Gelinas said. “Our property has a stream that goes through it from the Westfield River, and we want to protect that.”

For programming, Gelinas envisions bringing in experts in various fields, especially older trades not commonly seen anymore, such as basket-weaving and bow-and-arrow making.

“I’ll have people come in to do bird walks, maybe some yoga classes and some open mic things,” she said. “I feel there’s a niche that can be built here. I would like to give people access to something so they don’t have to drive off the mountain for it.”

Gelinas said she plans to apply for grants and hopes to have school programs and curriculum building programs for teachers.

“I would like to have more hands-on education, maybe even bring kids from Holyoke and the Springfield area to learn about what’s up here and the special environment we have here,” she said.

Gelinas hosted her first fundraiser in early May to raise money for the composting toilet. She is planning to apply for grants to help fund the building of the nature center. She’s also planning to go to the community for help with getting the project completed.

“My goal is to have it starting to be built by next summer,” she said. “I need building supplies donated, I need a concrete pourer. Next year, we’ll have a day where we’ll invite people to raise the roof, and we’ll make it a real community experience. This is a real grassroots effort.”

In October, Gelinas is planning a drum festival fundraiser as well.

For more information, visit www.tamarackhollow.com. To make a tax deductible donation, checks can be made out to Tamarack Hollow and mailed to P.O. Box 115, Windsor, MA 01270, or visit the website and click the PayPal "Donate" link.